Who's not in bed? (In the Night Garden)

Member Name: fergusa

Product:	In the Night Garden
Date:	15/06/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good, simple honest fun. Subtle educational value.

Disadvantages: None at all.

In the Night Garden is a TV program for pre-school age children that is shown on CBeebies three times a day (about 11.00, 2.30 and 6.00). It is narrated by Dereck Jacobi.

Sometimes babies just seem to really identify with certain toy or object, my baby seems to have developed this relationship with a TV program! I should say at this point that I'd always thought TV is a big no-no for children who should be outside in the fresh air, but baby just seems to really enjoy his 25 mins in the night garden every day and it gives me a chance to get some things done round the house.

In the Night Garden is educational but also seems to teach the simple things in life like being nice to each other and looking after your friends.

**The characters/setting
It is set in "the night garen" which is a vibrantly coloured garden setting with trees, flowers and various underground living spaces. Lots of toys live in the garden.

The 2 main characters are Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy. Iggle Piggle is blue with a little tuft of red hair, he is a little bit mischievous but also a little shy. He had a red comforter blanket which he also uses as a sail on his boat.
His best friend is Upsy Daisy, she looks like a rag doll. Upsy Daisy is a confident little girl who loves to sing through her microphone to everyone else in the garden. She has a motorised bed which she can call for when she's tired.

There are also 3 "tombleboos" called unn, ooo and eee. They look very similar but have different coloured spotty trousers (which often fall down). The tombleboos have their own song (Tombleboo, tombleboo, knock on the door, Tombleboo, tombleboo, sit on the floor.....) and can often be found washing their faces or brushing their teeth.

Also, there is (my favourite) a small slightly alien looking character called Macca Pacca. He sleeps in one of the underground caves. Macca Pacca loves to keep things clean, he has a little tricycle where he keeps his sponge, he also collects stones. Macca Pacca can usually be found cycling around the garden, washing stones with his sponge, washing the other toys faces or giving them clean stones as presents.

Lastly, there are 2 families of small wooden people (the Pontypines and the Whattingers) and 5 large inflated shapes called the ha-hoos. The Pontypine parents are often in the garden trying to find the children who are hiding behind rocks/in pot plants, sometimes Mr Pontypine gets too excited and his moustache flies off onto his wife's face. When they find the children they often call on the whattingers who live next door.

There are 2 modes of transport around the night garden - the Pinky-ponk and the Ninky-nonk. The former is a bit like an air ship/balloon and the latter is a land train. Driving in the ninky-nonk is a bit like going round Brands Hatch with Lewis Hamilton (but of course all the toys know to fasten their seat belts first).

At the end of each episode there is a recap in cartoon form and often all the toys do a dance together (Upsy Daisy inflates her skirt to do this). Then it's bedtime and all the toys get into their beds. Then the narrator spots that's somebody's not in bed, Iggle Piggle's not in bed. Iggle Piggle falls backwards in surprise/excitement, but it's ok he still goes to bed!

**The educational value
Apart from being simply good fun, the program does have a lot of educational value. I'm sure there is far more than what I've picked up on, but this is what I've found:
-Counting. There are lots of counting opportunities in particular the pontipines and whattingers, there are 10 of each and the narrator will count them, one through to ten.
-Repetition. Parts of the program are repeated every episode which gives baby some recognition/security. Babies love routine and repetition.
-Social skills. The toys are always kind to each other, hug each other and are just generally nice. They give each other little presents and are excited when they see each other.
-Everyday activities. The toys wash their faces and brush their teeth, thereby encouraging children to do the same. They also all enjoy going to bed after a long day.
-Communication. Aswell as repeating the same words, each toy has it's own song and it's own "language" these are usually not full words but babbles and sounds that pre-speaking babies can try to copy.

In summary, apart from being disturbed that I can write so much about a pre-school tv program, I think "In the Night Garden" is great. Good, simple fun which is positive and educational for little children.

Summary: Makka Pakka Akka wakka Mikka makka moo!